Dr Amanda J. Bennett - BSPP Elected Board Member (Publicity Officer)

John Clarkson

I have been interested in plant pathology since my undergraduate days at the University of Natal in South Africa, where I completed a BSc (Hons) degree in the subject.  I subsequently moved back to England (where I was born), initially with the intention of travelling around Europe.  However, my plans were put on hold when I started working at Horticulture Research International as a research assistant on a range of pathology-related projects, and also as an assistant in the mushroom diagnostic clinic.  I was soon inspired to continue my studies and subsequently undertook a PhD investigating the integrated control of soil-borne plant pathogens, which was awarded from the University of Newcastle in 2004.   During my PhD I attended my first international conference, which was held in New Zealand (ICPP 2003), and thus realised that my career plans need not limit my opportunities for travel after all! 

My postdoctoral research career continued at the University of Warwick, where I first worked on a HortLINK project investigating the use of beneficial microorganisms applied to seed to improve crop establishment and growth. Through this work I became more interested in rhizosphere microbial ecology, and subsequently worked on a Defra-funded project investigating microbial diversity in the rhizosphere of oilseed rape, in relation to yield decline of this crop when grown in close rotation.

I have recently moved to a new role at HGCA (the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) as a Research and Knowledge Transfer Manager in the area of crop protection.  I remain interested in the multi-trophic interactions of soil-borne and rhizosphere organisms and the beneficial or detrimental effects they can have on crop growth and yield.